UC football announces 2019 schedule with featured games against UCLA, Ohio State and UCF – Cincinnati.com

UC’s Luke Fickell on early football signingsScott Springer, sspringer@enquirer.com

After last year’s win over UCLA in Pasadena, the Bruins will come to Nippert Stadium Thursday, Aug. 29 with the University of Cincinnati heading north to Columbus for the Ohio State Buckeyes the following week on Sept. 7.

Those games highlight the 2019 UC football schedule released Thursday. The Bearcats finished last season at 11-2 and were Military Bowl champions defeating Virginia Tech 35-31 Dec. 31.

Coach Luke Fickell and company’s opener against UCLA will be nationally-televised on ESPN. The Bearcats won last year’s contest 26-17 at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

The following week, Fickell heads to his alma mater and former employer as UC faces Ohio State at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 7. Fickell played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96 and spent 15 years coaching the Scarlet and Gray, including the 2011 season as the interim between Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer. During his time at Ohio State, the Buckeyes played in 15 postseason games and won two national championships.

The Sept. 7 contest at OSU will be the 17th time the schools have met since 1893. The last time was in 2014 during Tommy Tuberville’s regime, a 50-28 loss. UC has won just two games vs. Ohio State, but none since 1897. Their closest came in 2002 when they lost 23-19 to the Buckeyes with current UC quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli throwing into the end zone late in the game for what would have been an upset of the then-No. 6 Buckeyes.

Sept. 14 sees the Miami Redhawks coming to Nippert. Fickell is 2-0 against Miami. Last season, the Bearcats won a 21-0 rain-soaked contest at Paul Brown Stadium.

After a bye week, UC goes to Marshall Sept. 28. The Herd defeated UC in Fickell’s first season 38-21 at Nippert. UC was last at Marshall in 2008 for a 33-10 win under then-coach Brian Kelly.

The American Athletic Conference portion of the schedule starts Friday, Oct. 4 at Nippert against defending AAC champion Central Florida (televised on one of the ESPN networks). UC will be at Houston Oct. 12 and will entertain Tulsa Oct. 19 before a second bye week.

November starts with a trip to East Carolina on the 2nd, followed by a home game with Connecticut Nov. 9. The Bearcats head to Tampa against South Florida Nov. 16 then have their home finale Nov. 23 with Temple.

The month ends with a day after Thanksgiving game at Memphis Nov. 29 also to be televised on ESPN networks. Times and TV networks for the Ohio State and Miami University games will be announced in June with the remaining games announced via the 12-day/six-day window process.